Parish roundup: Detroit Archdiocese shifts assets

Maison Hullibarger, an 18-year old University of Toledo freshman, killed himself Dec. 4. During his funeral Mass at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Temperance, Michigan, according to news reports, Fr. Don La Cuesta preached a homily that questioned whether Maison was saved. Family members asked him to stop, but the priest continued. La Cuesta is now being counselled about funeral homily duties by the Detroit Archdiocese, which issued an apology.

Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, Bishop Michael Olson responds to critics of his leadership style.

A growing Latino Catholic population in Cincinnati, Ohio, needs new space, as Spanish-language Mass is offered in crumbling church buildings.

A Louisiana pastor writes Christmas card greetings to parishioner families every year. That's more than 4,100, a project which begins soon after Labor Day.

A homeless woman is planning to give birth this Christmas. The good people of Butte, Montana, respond to the seasonal connection.

Eleanor Sauers has been appointed parish life coordinator at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fairfield, Connecticut, by Bridgeport Diocese Bishop Frank Caggiano. Sauers will have administrative authority over the parish and will be assisted by priests who will perform sacramental duties.*

[Peter Feuerherd is a correspondent for NCR's Field Hospital series on parish life and is a professor of journalism at St. John's University, New York.]

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*A sentence has been deleted from this story due to factual misinformation on the number of women in the country who lead parishes.